2023 ATP General News

[MargaretMcAleer]

Nick Kyrgios will join Felix Auger-Aliassime, Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe as Team World seeks a second Laver Cup title at Rogers Arena in Vancouver from September 22-24, 2023.

At present Team Europe have only Rublev and Tsitsipas

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I just watched Alcaraz Tsitsipas. Greek lost this match before it even started, he was there to lose. That's his problem, he is okay with losing big matches when it matters the most.

I was counting Alcaraz dropshots, I think he made 11 out of 13. Sure he has incredible dropshot, but the greek wasn't even trying. He didn't run for the balls for most of those. Dropshots were not insane quality, some of it was reachable if you just read the opponent, but greek didn't even try. He reached maybe 2-3 dropshots, that's terrible from him.

I like the way Alcaraz charges the net, so quick to come forward when he just smells that opponent won't do much with his shot.

This was a routine win for Alcaraz and gap between them is big at the moment.

Agree Don it was a routine win for Alcaraz. Alcaraz has a gear or two that even his opponents, even best, cannot find, to me that is a mark of a champion player ! Iga Swiatek the No 1 WTA player at present, also has those 'gears' to go to.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Who can ever forget that? The French dude had a triple bogey on the 18th hole to force a tiebreaker.

Wasn't his name Van de something like that

 

[Kieran]

Wasn't his name Van de something like that

Jean Van de Velde, I think. He rolled up his trousers in the water on the 18th and tried to blast his way onto the green. It was cringe, but deliciously funny too..

 

[the AntiPusher]

Jean Van de Velde, I think. He rolled up his trousers in the water on the 18th and tried to blast his way onto the green. It was cringe, but deliciously funny too..

The common denominator is the Sir name of Van means that you could have choke in your DNA jajaja

 

[Jelenafan]

Thought this was an interesting stat:

Active players who reached the most ATP finals as teenagers.

Rafael Nadal 18
Carlos Alcaraz 12
Novak Djokovic 7
Holger Rune 7

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Holga Rune is the latest player to join Team Europe for the Laver Cup, in September, he joins Rublev and Tsitsipas

 

[Fiero425]

Jean Van de Velde, I think. He rolled up his trousers in the water on the 18th and tried to blast his way onto the green. It was cringe, but deliciously funny too..

I saw it! One of the worst collapses in Golf history!

 

[Jelenafan]

I saw it! One of the worse collapses in Golf history!

About chokes, dang that Jana Novotna leading Steffi Graff 4-1 in the 3rd set of the Wimbledon finals was soo brutal..it all ended sobbing on the Duchess of Kent's shoulders after losing something like 5 straight games...

Then poor Jana a couple of years later was leading Chanda Rubin in a FO match 1 set up and 5-0. 40-0, and somehow choked that away, squandering something like 8 or 9 match points....

 

[Fiero425]

About chokes, dang that Jana Novotna leading Steffi Graff 4-1 in the 3rd set of the Wimbledon finals was soo brutal..it all ended sobbing on the Duchess of Kent's shoulders after losing something like 5 straight games...

Then poor Jana a couple of years later was leading Chanda Rubin in a FO match 1 set up and 5-0. 40-0, and somehow choked that away, squandering something like 8 or 9 match points....

For a collapse in tennis, nothing worst than "pretender," Todd Martin who was up 2 sets to 1, then 5-1 in the 5th set on Mal Washington at 1996 Wimbledon in the SF! Choked his lead away and allowed Richard Krajicek an easy time in the final to win after taking Sampras out in the QF!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Wimbledon is reducing men's doubles to best of 3 sets and will allow coaching as the other majors are doing.

 

[Moxie]

Wimbledon is reducing men's doubles to best of 3 sets and will allow coaching as the other majors are doing.

Inevitable. I don't suppose they'll have on-court coaches. And the 3rd set will be the same TB rules? (Whatever they are anymore. I've lost track.)

 

[El Dude]

For a collapse in tennis, nothing worst than "pretender," Todd Martin who was up 2 sets to 1, then 5-1 in the 5th set on Mal Washington at 1996 Wimbledon in the SF! Choked his lead away and allowed Richard Krajicek an easy time in the final to win after taking Sampras out in the QF!

Martin was a very good player, but it isn't like he had an epic draw during that Wimbledon. I don't think any of the guys he faced were even top 20 (EDIT: Malivai was #20). Thomas Johansson (#106) and Tim Henman (#62) weren't yet in their prime, and really both just 2nd tier types at their best.

Meanwhile, Martin reached six Slam SF, two of which he won to reach the finals, and no cigars.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Inevitable. I don't suppose they'll have on-court coaches. And the 3rd set will be the same TB rules? (Whatever they are anymore. I've lost track.)

I think the 3rd set could be a super t/break set I will have to check

 

[El Dude]

Most Grand Slam Finals Without a Title:

• 3 Tony Roche (though he won one before the Open Era)
• 2 Steve Denton, Kevin Curren, Miloslav Mecir, Cedric Pioline, Todd Martin, Alex Corretja, Mark Philippoussis, Robin Soderling, Kevin Anderson, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas

Most Grand Slam Semi-finals Without a Title:

• 8 Tony Roche (see above)
• 7 Tomas Berdych
• 6 Todd Martin, Tim Henman, David Ferrer, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Stefanos Tsitsipas
• 5 Tom Okker, David Nalbandian, Alexander Zverev

I think we can ignore Roche, for reasons stated. Interesting to note that other than Roche, no one has reached 3 Slam finals without winning one. Could Sissypuss be the first? Ruud?

Martin and and Tsitsipas are the only two on both lists, though I suppose that's because I made the cut-off for SF somewhat arbitrary. Berdych only converted one of those 7 SF to a final (and Tsonga and Ferrer 1 of 6 each); Henman never reached a final.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I think the 3rd set could be a super t/break set I will have to check

Yes 3rd final set is a super t/break set first to 10 points, that also included mixed doubles

 

[Fiero425]

Most Grand Slam Finals Without a Title:

• 3 Tony Roche (though he won one before the Open Era)
• 2 Steve Denton, Kevin Curren, Miloslav Mecir, Cedric Pioline, Todd Martin, Alex Corretja, Mark Philippoussis, Robin Soderling, Kevin Anderson, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas

Most Grand Slam Semi-finals Without a Title:

• 8 Tony Roche (see above)
• 7 Tomas Berdych
• 6 Todd Martin, Tim Henman, David Ferrer, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Stefanos Tsitsipas
• 5 Tom Okker, David Nalbandian, Alexander Zverev

I think we can ignore Roche, for reasons stated. Interesting to note that other than Roche, no one has reached 3 Slam finals without winning one. Could Sissypuss be the first? Ruud?

Martin and and Tsitsipas are the only two on both lists, though I suppose that's because I made the cut-off for SF somewhat arbitrary. Berdych only converted one of those 7 SF to a final (and Tsonga and Ferrer 1 of 6 each); Henman never reached a final.

Roche as one of the origional "Handsome 8," I considered him more a double's specialist playing with John Newcombe by the time I started watching tennis! I know him better for his coaching Lendl to get that left-handed perspective since the other top 2 players were Connors & McEnroe!

 

[El Dude]

Roche as one of the origional "Handsome 8," I considered him more a double specialist playing with John Newcombe by the time I started watching tennis! I know him better for his coaching Lendl to get that left-handed perspective since the other top 2 players were Connors & McEnroe!

He's a bit historically overlooked and was probably the second best player in 1969...but we know what happened that year. But look at his overall Slam record:

He reached a Slam final six years in a row, from 1965-70, and a SF within a span of 1965-75 (11 years).

Not an ATG, but definitely--at least--in the ranks with the better one-Slam winners like Vitas Gerulaitis and Michael Chang.

 

[Jelenafan]

Roche as one of the origional "Handsome 8," I considered him more a double specialist playing with John Newcombe by the time I started watching tennis! I know him better for his coaching Lendl to get that left-handed perspective since the other top 2 players were Connors & McEnroe!

Arthur Ashe in his memoirs said the players would joke it was “ the Handsome Seven and Tony Roche” ; )

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

More updated details from Wimbledon this year ( apart from best of 3 sets for doubles and allowing coaching)

The All England Club will play for 2 rooms for Ukrainian tennis players and their teams during the grass court season and will donate 1 British pound ( $1.25) for each ticket sold at Wimbledon to relief efforts in Ukraine- which could top 500,000 pounds ($620,000) after deciding to allow players from Russia and Belarus back into the tournament despite the ongoing war. Club chairman Hewitt and club chief executive Sally Bolton said Wimbledon will not broadcast in Russia or Belarus, and their media will not be allowed at the tournament this year.
Flags or signs of support for either of those countries and the war will be barred from the grounds and that players have started signing a declaration that they will not show support for Russia, Belarus or the war in Ukraine, a requirement for them to participate.

Roger Federer, who won 8 of his 20 Grand Slam titles at the All England Club and retired last year, will be celebrated in some way during this year's tournament.

Billie Jean King and other members of the Original 9 will be honored on the 50th anniversary of the founding of the WTA Women's Tour.